Le Clos Corbier is a family-owned estate nestled in the heart of Champagne’s UNESCO-listed vineyards. Built in the 1850s, the house reflects the regional architecture of the time. Originally designed for Champagne production, the estate first housed Champagne Valet, then later Champagne Philipponnat.
In 2012, Sylvie and Dominique Collard undertook its restoration, gradually transforming Le Clos Corbier into a destination for both local and international visitors. Today, the estate features a bed and breakfast, a restaurant, and offers wine tourism experiences, including guided tours and Champagne tastings. The historic cellars have also been renovated to accommodate Champagne production once again.
Le Clos Corbier is now home to our family brand, Champagne Collard-Milesi.
Dominique's father, Michel Collard, worked at Champagne Moët & Chandon before meeting and marrying the eldest daughter of Pierre Philipponnat, who was managing the family Champagne house on his own at the time.
Pierre invited Michel to join the business, and together they ran the House until Pierre’s passing in 1963. The leadership of Champagne Philipponnat was then passed on to Michel, who was joined a few years later by his son, Dominique.
Dominique Collard joined his father at Champagne Philipponnat as Sales Director, before taking over as General Manager in 1988. Meanwhile, in 1980, Champagne Philipponnat partnered with Champagne Gosset, making Michel and Dominique shareholders of the newly formed group.
However, the alliance was soon shaken by tragedy: the death of Gosset’s heir. In 1983, Michel and Dominique were tasked with finding a potential buyer. After an unsuccessful negotiation with a banker from Bordeaux, the House was acquired in 1986 by Marie Brizard, a company known for its liqueurs and syrups.
Yet, the transition brought new challenges. Poor financial decisions by Marie Brizard soon led to tensions with Champagne Philipponnat. Dominique was ultimately forced to leave the family business.
Later, he was approached by Paul Vranken—whom he had met years earlier in Paris—who invited him to join his newly established Champagne House. After initially declining, Dominique eventually accepted in 1989. He would go on to spend the next 30 years contributing to the commercial development and growth of the Vranken brand
In 1976, Dominique met Sylvie, a communications professional with whom he worked at Champagne Philipponnat. They married in 1984 and settled in Épernay, where they raised their four children. In 2006, following the death of Dominique’s father, they decided to take over the old family home, Le Clos Corbier, despite its deteriorated state and the extent of the renovation needed.
Sylvie took the lead on the renovation, starting with the main house, while the industrial part of the property was left untouched. In 2008, the family moved in, and the idea emerged to transform part of the old industrial building into guest rooms. Three rooms were set up in what used to be the harvesters’ dormitory, followed later by a fourth in a converted office.
Matthias, the youngest son of Sylvie and Dominique, returned to the family estate in 2014 after five years working in sales at Champagne Pommery. He came back with a dream: to revive a Champagne House on the historic property.
Inspired by the energy surrounding Le Clos Corbier and the enthusiasm of international visitors, Matthias first launched the wine tourism agency Vine Escape. Its goal was to further showcase the estate through tastings and lunches, while also offering transportation services to guide guests through the vineyard. The agency later became À la Française following a partnership with an entrepreneur from Bordeaux to expand the concept across France.
In 2019, Matthias took the opportunity to step in and take over operations at Le Clos Corbier, as Sylvie was beginning to step back from day-to-day management. The estate officially incorporated its tasting and tour activities alongside the guest rooms.
In 2022, Matthias achieved his long-held dream by creating his own Champagne brand: Champagne Collard-Milesi, named after himself and his wife, Carole.
The story continues...